More than 4,000 churches were closed last month in Rwanda for failing to comply with health and safety regulations, including for not being properly soundproofed.
It mainly affected small Pentecostal churches and some mosques – some of them operating in caves or on river banks.
“This is not being done to stop people from praying, but to guarantee the safety and tranquility of the faithful,” Minister of Local Government, Jean Claude Musabyimana, told state media.
It is the first major crackdown since a law was passed five years ago to regulate the proliferation of places of worship.
It requires that they operate in an organized manner and in a safe environment, as well as prohibiting the use of public address systems.
The legislation also requires all preachers to have theological training before opening a church.
When the law was adopted in 2018 on 700 churches were initially closed.
At the time, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country did not need many places of worship, maintaining that such a high number was only suitable for more developed economies with the means to support them.
Mr Kagame, who has just won a fourth term with 99% of the votesgoverns a tightly controlled society where his critics say there is little freedom of expression.
The ongoing operation targeting churches is being carried out by local urban authorities in partnership with the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB).
Authorities say they are taking a tough stance as churches have had five years to fully comply with regulations.
“The government took a stance against proliferation in places of worship. We still see cases of dilapidated [structures] and unhygienic conditions,” RGB chief Usta Kayitesi told the news website New Times.
Some of the churches that were closed operated in tents, exposing worshipers to risks, Musabyimana said.
So far, 4,223 places of worship have been closed, 427 of them in caves, reports Privately owned Kinyarwanda language Igihe news website.
The vast majority of Rwandans are Christian, but many also follow traditional practices.
Pentecostal churches, often led by charismatic preachers who claim to be able to perform miracles, have grown rapidly in many parts of Africa in recent years.
Some are huge, attracting thousands of worshipers every Sunday, but others are tiny structures built without planning permission.
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